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	Camping ...Day Camping, Dry Camping, Boondocking... in San Diego County, California
	Low resolution photographs may be used freely for non-commercial purposes when credited to Lisbeth A. Christensen with a link back to this page. For full resolution photographs and commercial use please e-mail: photos@REMOVETHIShomeofourfathers.org NO HOT-LINKING... DON'T MAKE ME COME AFTER YOU!
	We travel in a 11 ft. Lance Camper, and we live in a 35 ft. Keystone Sprinter Fifth Wheel in a campground when not traveling. For boondocking our Lance is equipped with solar power (12 V) as well as a propane generator.
	BOONDOCKING AT SHOPPING CENTERS, CASINOS, AND OTHER SEMI-PUBLIC AREAS Generally we have found that you can boondock all day at most shopping centers without being bothered. As for night camping, it is usually important to check with security or management, but malls with Walmart stores or where one or more stores are open 24 hours, you can usually expect to stay without being bothered, as long as you keep out of the way and otherwise keep a low profile and do not become a nuisance. Most Walmart stores in San Diego have signs prohibiting overnight parking. I will note here that although the Walmart in the College Grove Center in Lemon Grove is one of those, we have overnighted there many times without anybody expressing concern. RVs there tend to congregate in the back of the lot near the Sam's Club trailers, nice and out of the way. Most casinos - which are plentiful in San Diego County - welcome boondockers and some have a separate area just for campers. Saturday nights, when finding a good spot to camp in an urban area can be particularly challenging, we'll sometimes stay in a church parking lot. We enjoy "church hopping" and the next morning we'll attend services wherever we parked. It is helpful to leave a friendly note on your windshield encouraging a knock on the door if you are in the way, and letting them know that otherwise you will just see them at services in the morning. Depending on the area, school parking lots may be available for overnight parking on the weekend. Choose only schools in low-crime areas where off-hours activity at the school is not likely to cause concern, and where no signs prohibit entry after hours or without contacting the office. Personally, when we stay at any of these places we do NOT run the generator for extended periods or put out furniture.
	BOONDOCKING ON PUBLIC STREETS San Diego is one of more and more cities that prohibit parking any kind of recreational vehicle in the street overnight, usually defined as 2 am to 4 am. Currently, however, it is the stated policy of the San Diego police department NOT to enforce this law, and many RVs park curbside at night. Again - keep a low profile. We make it a point to act like a parked vehicle, not like a camper, avoid being noisy or sometimes even leveling (turn off fridge!) We have also found that in areas patrolled by the Harbor Police enforcement is a lot less stringent - even about posted parking restrictions - than in areas patrolled by SDPD or the Highway Patrol. RV street parking regulation varies from city to city in San Diego county. In Carlsbad, for instance, RVs fall under the usual 3-day limit for staying parked in the same place, while in Coronado there is a strict 3-hour limit for RV-parking on the street, however only vehicles 24 ft or longer are considered RVs for this purpose. It is wise to call ahead to the non-emergency number of local police departments to find out exactly what the restrictions are.
	BOONDOCKING AT REST AREAS While some rest areas specifically state "no camping" they seem to all allow "resting." We take this to mean that sleeping in the camper is okay, whipping out the awning and setting up camp is not, and we have never been asked to move on while staying the night at a rest area. The following rest areas are located in San Diego County: Buckman Springs: Interstate 8, Exit 51. Stays limited to 8 hours. Restrooms, phones, picnic areas, and free RV dump station. Aliso Creek: Interstate 5, Exit 59. Stays limited to 8 hours. Restrooms, phones, picnic areas, vending machines.
	FREE RV DUMPS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY Aside from the RV dump station at Buckman Springs Rest Area, there is also a free RV dump at Anza Cove in Mission Bay. The RV dump is located at the tourist information and visitor's center near the west end of Clairmont Drive.   FREE WI-FI HOTSPOTS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY San Diego is blessed with exceptional free wireless internet coverage. Several neighborhoods now are covered to some extent with free wi-fi, among them Barrio Logan, Golden Hill, National City, Normal Heights, San Diego Bay, Sherman Heights, and South Park. Many "Panera Bread" locations in San Diego County offer free wi-fi. They tolerate loitering to an exceptional extent and provide lots of power outlets. Nearly all San Diego libraries - both city and county - in San Diego County provide free wi-fi, and most provide plenty of power outlets as well.
	Great parks and places for DAY CAMPING in San Diego County, California:
	BORREGO SPRINGS Anza-Borrego Desert State Park CARDIFF Cardiff State Beach Cardiff State Beach - Seaside CARLSBAD Carlsbad Sculpture Garden Hosp Grove Park Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park Magee Park and Magee House Rancho de los Quiotes Stagecoach Park CHULA VISTA Bayside Park Eucalyptus Park Friendship Park J Street Marina Marina View Park Montgomery Waller Community Park Mountain Hawk Park Otay Lakes Park Will T. Hyde Friendship Park CORONADO Coronado Central Beach Coronado Ferry Landing Glorietta Bay Park & Beach Silver Strand State Beach Tidelands Park CUYAMACA Cuyamaca Rancho State Park - Green Valley Cuyamaca Rancho State Park - Paso Picacho Cuyamaca Rancho State Park - Stonewall Mine DEL MAR San Dieguito County Park EL CAJON Flinn Springs County Park Hillside Park Old Ironsides County Park Prescott Promenade ENCINITAS Colony Olivenhain Cottonwood Creek Park Encinitas School House Museum Moonlight State Beach Old Encinitas School House Olivenhain Colony ESCONDIDO Dixon Lake Escondido History Center Felicita County Park Grape Day Park Heritage Walk Museum Kit Carson Park Lake Hodges San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park FALLBROOK Live Oak County Park IMPERIAL BEACH Borderfield State Park Dunes Park JULIAN William Heise County Park LA JOLLA Camino de la Costa Tidepools Coast Boulevard Park La Jolla Cove La Jolla Hermosa Park Torrey Pines Gliderport, San Diego, California Windansea Beach LAKESIDE Barona Indian Reservation El Monte County Park Lindo Lake County Park Louis A. Stelzer County Park Oak Oasis Open Space Preserve Victoria's Garden LA MESA Collier Park Harry Griffen Park Lake Murray MacArthur Park LEMON GROVE Berry Street Park City Center Park Dan Kunkel Park Lemon Grove Park Parsonage Museum LINDA VISTA Kearny Mesa Park OCEANSIDE Heritage Park Village PACIFIC BEACH Kate Sessions Park PALA Wilderness Gardens Preserve PINE VALLEY Pine Valley County Park POINT LOMA Liberty Station Park NTC Community Park Shelter Island POTRERO Potrero County Park POWAY Hilleary Park Lake Poway Poway Lake RAMONA Dos Picos County Park Luelf Pond Open Space Preserve Ramona Community Park
	SAN DIEGO Bahia Point, Mission Bay Park Balboa Park, San Diego ~~~"~~~ Bonita Cove, Mission Bay Park Calvary Cemetery, Mission Hills Cancer Survivors' Park, Spanish Landing Crosby Street Park and Pier, Logan Heights Crown Point Shores, Mission Bay Park Dana Landing, Mission Bay Park De Anza Cove North, Mission Bay Park De Anza Cove South, Mission Bay Park El Carmel Point, Mission Bay Park Enchanted Cove, Fiesta Island, Mission Bay Park Hidden Anchorage, Fiesta Island, Mission Bay Park Hospitality Point, Mission Bay Park Kumeyaay Lake, Mission Trails Regional Park, Tierrasanta Lakeview Park, Scripps Ranch Marian R. Bear Memorial Park Mariner's Point, Mission Bay Park Mission Bay Model Boat Pond, Vacation Isle, Mission Bay Mission Heights Park Mission Point, Mission Bay Park Mission Trails Regional Park, Tierrasanta Mormon Battalion Museum, Old Town North Cove, Mission Bay Park Ocean Beach Pier, Ocean Beach Old Trolley Barn Neighborhood Park Olive Grove Community Park Pioneer Park, Mission Hills Playa Pacifica, Mission Bay Park Plaza Del Pasado, Old Town Quivera Point, Mission Bay Park Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors' Park Santa Clara Point, Mission Bay Park Ski Beach, Mission Bay Park Spanish Landing Park Sunset Cliffs Park Sunset Point, Mission Bay Park Torrey Pines State Reserve Ventura Cove, Mission Bay Park SAN MARCOS Jack's Pond Park Mulberry Park SAN ONOFRE San Onofre State Beach SANTEE Big Rock Park Mast Park Santee Lakes Shadow Hill Park Woodglen Vista Park SOLANA BEACH Fletcher Cove Park Pillbox Beach SPRING VALLEY Bancroft Ranch House Museum Eucalyptus County Park Lamar County Park VALLEY CENTER Adams Community Park VISTA Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum Rancho Buena Vista Adobe Rancho Guajome Adobe Rancho Guajome Regional Park Wildwood Park
	LOOKING FOR ON-THE-ROAD MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES?
	Photographs © Lisbeth A. Christensen (1996-2007)
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